-The Telegraph   Rural development minister Jairam Ramesh today asked social organisations run by the Catholic Church to help the government carry out development programmes in maoist-hit tribal areas but cautioned them against “religious mobilisation”. At an event held by Caritas India, Ramesh asked the Catholic organisation to help break down the “trust deficit” between the government and the tribal communities. But he added that Caritas should observe a certain “Lakshman rekha”. “I expect...

Police claim it's suicide, but medical report establishes signs of torture On the day Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh addressed a public gathering to mark the creation of Sukma district, carved out of maoist-affected Dantewada, a custodial death in the Sukma police station underlines the difficulty in winning over a disaffected tribal populace in the backdrop of a violent counterinsurgency campaign. Podiyam Mara of Kondre village died in the police station on...

A desperate state is making maoists out of innocents Arun Ferreira smiles easily. The four years and eight months of incarceration, as an alleged Naxalite/maoist, sit lightly on the 40-year-old quintessential Bandra boy. Released on January 5 from Nagpur Central Jail—acquitted in 10 of the 11 cases and bailed in one—Ferreira is taking his time to readjust to his life with family and friends in Mumbai. He must build anew...

-Khaleej Times Online   maoists have stepped up their campaign against the proposed bauxite mining in north coastal Andhra Pradesh, with the extremists asking lawmakers to pass a resolution in the state Legislative Assembly pledging not to take up mining in the tribal areas. The outlawed outfit, CPI (maoist), put up banners and posters and distributed pamphlets in several villages in Visakhapatnam district warning of serious consequences if the legislators went ahead with...

In a path-breaking measure, which could become an issue of discussion in some quarters, the Union government has decided to involve missionary groups of various hues in taking its programmes to the people in areas affected by Naxalite activities. Apart from giving the green signal to engage Ramakrishna Mission Ashram in Narainpur district in Chhattisgarh, which the Communist Party of India (maoist) claims to be a liberated zone, Union Minister of...